Construction consultant Turner & Townsend has moved offices from Savoy Court in the Strand to larger premises at One New Change in the City. Above: One New Change, opposite St Paul’s Cathedral The move comes on the back of a near doubling of Turner & Townsend’s London revenues in the
Contractors’ views are being invited on a programme of refurbishment works to the UK parliamentary estate worth up to £650m. Above: Photo of parliamentary estate © UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor The UK parliament has begun a market engagement exercise to discuss plans for procuring a main works contracting partner to support
The latest research by property crowdfunding platform Property Partner, has highlighted a substantial 11.5% increase in new rental properties being listed in April, fuelled by the pre stamp duty stampede. Property Partner looked at the number of new rental properties being advertised last month compared to March in 90 towns
Six firms of architects have been shortlisted in Taylor Wimpey’s competition to design the house of the future. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), which is running the competition for the house-builder, said it received ‘an excellent response’ to the challenge that Taylor Wimpey laid down. Taylor Wimpey’s Project
Carillion Construction has been selected as preferred bidder for the £96m Lincoln eastern bypass. Above: Artists impression of the bypass The project involves the construction of a 7.5km single carriageway road to link the A158 Wragby Road roundabout to the A15 at Bracebridge Heath. The project is designed to reduce
Scottish supplier Business Stream has named Jo Mayes as its customer operations director, further strengthening its senior team as the company gears up for the opening of the English water market in 2017. Business Stream customer operations director Jo Mayes Most recently head of customer experience at Standard
The latest and final stage of the development taking place at M&G Real Estate’s Buckingway Business Park has got underway. This development is thought to be Cambridge’s largest speculative warehousing scheme to be built in the past decade. With this phase of the project now started, it is thought that
Property Developer and consultants, Regency Residential has announced that they will be launching a new residential development. The project is located in the Kings Heath area of Birmingham and will deliver 32 deluxe one and two bedroomed apartments. These new apartments will measure between 510 sq. ft. and 721 sq.
It is thought that there is a very real risk of running so low on plumbers in the UK that the country could face the largest crisis they have seen in around 20 years. Warm.co.uk has said that the Government needs to do something in order to avoid drastic consequences.
GN2 the property agency business operating in London has been offering advice to one of their new clients. The Property Agency has been advising their new client on the set up of a new “Wellness” Centre which will be located in Hammersmith. ReSource, GN2’s new client, has acquired a 13,239
Construction consultant Turner & Townsend has moved offices from Savoy Court in the Strand to larger premises at One New Change in the City. Above: One New Change, opposite St Paul’s Cathedral The move comes on the back of a near doubling of Turner & Townsend’s London revenues in the past five years. More than 1,000 staff will be based in the new London office, sharing a single 3,800 m2 (41,000 sq ft) floor plate. UK managing director Jon White said: “In the last five years our London office has increased its revenue by 84%, and as the business has grown, so too has our capability and our ambition. In the past year alone we have increased our London headcount to more than 1,000 people. “Our new home at One New Change will have substantially more space than our premises at Savoy Court, and will give us the freedom to continue expanding. The new office is also closer to the London bases of many of our global clients, and is laid out on one floor, with more open and flexible space.” This article was published on 6 May 2016 (last updated on 6 May 2016). Source link
Contractors’ views are being invited on a programme of refurbishment works to the UK parliamentary estate worth up to £650m. Above: Photo of parliamentary estate © UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor The UK parliament has begun a market engagement exercise to discuss plans for procuring a main works contracting partner to support its northern estate programme. This programme consists of the essential repair and refurbishment of a number of historic office buildings on the parliamentary estate in the vicinity of the Palace of Westminster. It does not include the full refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster parliament building itself, which is set to cost at least £1bn (see previous report here) but it could include certain early elements of the Palace of Westminster Restoration & Renewal Programme. Work on the northern estate programme will comprise renewal of the mechanical and electrical services, as well as restoration to the fabric of the listed buildings. Work is expected to be in the range of £150m to £650m and take between three and four years to complete. Buildings to be refurbished include: Norman Shaw North Norman Shaw South 1 Derby Gate Canon Row residences 1 Parliament Street Other decant buildings as required and potentially certain early elements of the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme. Contractors’ views are being sought to assess the interest and capability of the market to manage and deliver the programme. It is also an opportunity to discuss the programme and inform Parliament’s approach to procurement. Parliament’s Strategic Estates department is looking for advice on: procurement strategy; contract shape and size; and any particular risks that may impact on the success of the procurement and delivery of the works. Interested contractors are invited to complete a questionnaire and to return it via the e-tendering system by 3rd August, 2016, at: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/parliamentuk. Parliament may then invite some or all respondents for further discussions. This article was published on 6 Jul 2016 (last updated on 6 Jul 2016). Source link
The latest research by property crowdfunding platform Property Partner, has highlighted a substantial 11.5% increase in new rental properties being listed in April, fuelled by the pre stamp duty stampede. Property Partner looked at the number of new rental properties being advertised last month compared to March in 90 towns and cities across the UK. In 82% of those locations, there was an increase in the number of new rental listings. Worcester in the West Midlands saw rental listings surge by almost 50% (48.9%) in April with new rental property ads up more than a third in Chelmsford (38.0%), Stevenage (36.4%) and Southport (34.4%). Of the major cities, new rental property listings in London increased by 9.1% in April compared to March, with the boroughs of Barking and Dagenham (31.8%) and Havering (31.5%) both seeing significant rises. Similarly, in Britain’s second city Birmingham, new rental property numbers were up by 20.7% and Manchester by 14.3%. The following table shows the UK towns and cities that saw the biggest rise in new rental property listings in April compared to March. Town/City Region % increase in new rental property listings Worcester West Midlands 48.9% Chelmsford East 38.0% Stevenage South East 36.4% Southport North West 34.4% Telford West Midlands 32.3% Cheltenham South West 30.3% Watford East 29.4% Bath South West 29.3% Newport Wales 27.0% Woking South East 26.8% Gloucester South West 26.4% Milton Keynes South East 24.7% Oxford South East 24.5% Oldham North West 23.3% St Helens North West 22.5% Dan Gandesha, CEO of Property Partner, comments: “The rental market experienced a much-needed boost in April. Unfortunately, this was created by investor frenzy to beat the stamp duty hike, and supply is unlikely to continue on an upward trajectory. If anything, options for tenants could become more limited in the next couple of months as traditional landlords balk at the prospect of paying the surcharge now, and losing mortgage interest tax relief from next year. There is still strong tenant demand, but the Government has changed the traditional buy-to-let landscape, and this will have ramifications for the rental market longer term. That demand will increasingly have to be met by professional landlords like Property Partner, offering tenants a better product, and investors a better deal.” Source link
Six firms of architects have been shortlisted in Taylor Wimpey’s competition to design the house of the future. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), which is running the competition for the house-builder, said it received ‘an excellent response’ to the challenge that Taylor Wimpey laid down. Taylor Wimpey’s Project 2020 involves evaluating trends and innovations in design, architecture, technology, materials and methodology with the aim of shaping the Taylor Wimpey range for 2020 and beyond. Six entries were shortlisted to proceed to the next stage of the competition: Artform Architects, Manchester Igor Russo and Razvan Andrei, London More Design, London Newground Architects, London Openstudio Architects, London Origin 3 Studio, Bristol The teams will now work on their design proposals and will be invited to attend an interview in September 2016. RIBA adviser Glenn Howells said: “We received well over 100 entries, the standard of these were very high and stimulated much debate. After many hours the judging panel managed to select a shortlist of 6 terrific submissions, each of which stretched the concept of what the house could be and how it could best relate to changing technologies and patterns of living.” Taylor Wimpey divisional managing director John Gainham said: “We were impressed by the response to the competition and the panel faced a difficult challenge selecting a shortlist of just six teams. Each of the final six offers a different approach and I am looking forward to seeing how each team develops their concept at the next stage.” This article was published on 15 Jul 2016 (last updated on 15 Jul 2016). Source link
Carillion Construction has been selected as preferred bidder for the £96m Lincoln eastern bypass. Above: Artists impression of the bypass The project involves the construction of a 7.5km single carriageway road to link the A158 Wragby Road roundabout to the A15 at Bracebridge Heath. The project is designed to reduce city centre congestion and help unlock land for housing and development. Carillion’s appointment is set to be approved by Lincolnshire County Council’s executive on 1st November 2016. The other shortlisted bidders were Hochtief, Graham Farrans JV and Sisk Lagan JV. The council expects construction to start in January and take three years to complete. Preliminary works began in May to build a 130-metre track required to access part of the site. Archaeologists have been appointed to explore areas identified as cultural heritage potential. Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: “This project will take a lot of pressure off the roads in and around Lincoln – in fact, it’s projected to reduce traffic levels on Broadgate by around 25 per cent. That will mean less congestion, better air quality and reduced journey times. It will also pave the way for the housing and economic developments that are vital for the county’s future prosperity. I’m delighted we’ve reached this important milestone and look forward to the main works starting in the new year.” This article was published on 14 Oct 2016 (last updated on 14 Oct 2016). Source link
Scottish supplier Business Stream has named Jo Mayes as its customer operations director, further strengthening its senior team as the company gears up for the opening of the English water market in 2017. Business Stream customer operations director Jo Mayes Most recently head of customer experience at Standard Life, Mayes has an extensive background in customer service, gained in the utilities market with Scottish Power and in the financial sector where she has held a number of senior roles. Based in the company’s Edinburgh head office, and reporting into chief executive Johanna Dow, Mayes will be responsible for all aspects of customer service delivery for Business Stream’s customers across the UK. Commenting on her new role she said: “This is an exciting time to be joining one of the industry’s most progressive companies. I’m looking forward to working in the utilities sector again, drawing on my relevant experience at WICS and Scottish Power. But I also aim to bring some fresh insights from the financial services sector.” Dow said: “We’re delighted to welcome Jo on board. With an increasingly competitive market in Scotland, and less than a year to go to the opening of the retail water market in England, customer service will be one of the key differentiators between suppliers. “We need to maintain our current excellent standards and look for ways to enhance them even further. Jo brings a great mix of leadership skills and best practice gained from other industries that will help us achieve that.” Business Stream said its ambitious plans for growth in England are “rooted in its commitment to offering the best customer service available within the industry”, which includes helping customers reduce consumption and, ultimately, their energy bills. Source link
The latest and final stage of the development taking place at M&G Real Estate’s Buckingway Business Park has got underway. This development is thought to be Cambridge’s largest speculative warehousing scheme to be built in the past decade. With this phase of the project now started, it is thought that the Business Park will Be ready for completion by February 2018. The development is owned by M&G Real Estate and is a 155,000 sq. ft. development project to create four high-specification units measuring between 25,000 sq. ft. and 50,000 sq. ft. each. The site is being developed by Goya Developments and Barwood Capital. Each of the units will also be fitted with Goya’s leading brand of HQ style offices as well as entrance lobbies. The Buckingway Business Park will also be looking to promote green commuting and will therefor have six bike shelters and electric car charging points. Each of the building will also have dedicated yard space as well as extensive parking to meet the tenant’s requirements. The occupiers of the new units, when completed, will also be able to make the most of 8 or 10 metre eaves height as well as 40-50 kN.m2 warehousing floor loading. In further attempts to be environmentally friendly, the business park will be fitted with Photovoltaic panels and solar walls that will be used to generate heat and energy. The buildings will be fitted with motion sensitive lighting and energy monitors in an attempt to help the occupiers to reduce their energy costs. Buckingway Business Park is being constructed in a strategic location adjacent to the A14 and allowing the tenants easy access on to transport routes to Cambridge, the M11 and the A1. The Business Park will benefit from the £1.5 billion upgrade works planned for the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon which is expected to be completed by 2020.
Property Developer and consultants, Regency Residential has announced that they will be launching a new residential development. The project is located in the Kings Heath area of Birmingham and will deliver 32 deluxe one and two bedroomed apartments. These new apartments will measure between 510 sq. ft. and 721 sq. ft. and will be available for £135,000. The Kings heath area is a 10-minute drive away from Birmingham City Centre and has good transport links into the city, operating every day. The apartments will be finished to the highest standard, with fully fitted kitchen and bathroom. As an added security feature there will also be video door entry intercom system for each apartment. This development will be ideal for home-seekers as well as investors, due to its location in a urban village feeling area, with a range of independent boutique shops, an organic café culture, and near to Birmingham City Centre and a range of popular student areas. It is thought that the project will complete in spring 2018, and will be a great new addition to the area already popular with young professionals. In terms of viewing the apartments as an investment, it is thought that the apartments will be able to offer annual yields of around 6%, a very attractive investment. There is no doubt that these apartments will sell out fast. The deluxe property project has been overseen by Regency Residential, a Manchester based company operating as a part of the MCR Property Group. The business prides itself on being involved in all stages of the project. This means that the company is on hand through the identifying, choosing, planning and development process for each project. The company launched earlier this year and has so far been involved in a range of development schemes over the course of 2017 so far.
It is thought that there is a very real risk of running so low on plumbers in the UK that the country could face the largest crisis they have seen in around 20 years. Warm.co.uk has said that the Government needs to do something in order to avoid drastic consequences. The heating and boiler company has said that the known on effects for businesses and consumers in the UK could be very serious if the lack of plumbers available is not addresses. More needs to be done in order to encourage more people into this industry. The plumbing industry appears to be neglected in terms of work put into attracting and training new workers. Because of this and the related lack of plumbers entering the industry, there is a crisis looming. It is thought that if this skills deficit continues on the same trajectory, there could be a time where, in larger cities, emergency call outs could take as long as 3 weeks to be solved. If situations like this begin to occur there could be a serious risk to health as well as putting businesses in danger. The increase of plumbing trainees needs to be addressed as a priority to avoid this rather bleak forecast. It has been said by the heating and boiler company Warm.co.uk that it is not too late to address this issue however, the input required in order to make a big enough difference would need to be drastic and immediate. It has also been suggested that, in order to achieve the best results, a government-led solution would be most effective. If no action is taken, there could be country-wide delays, even for emergency work. Due to the demand for plumbers, there could also be price inflation, with the few plumbers that are available charging what they wish for the work. This means that anyone who can’t afford the inflated prices are left in an even worse situation. It is thought that offering incentives for school leavers, encouraging them to go straight into apprenticeships and training for the profession, would be a great solution to ensure that the skills crisis doesn’t get any worse. Warm.co.uk have also recommended a range of other actions that could be taken in order to avoid the problems that a skills crisis would entail.
GN2 the property agency business operating in London has been offering advice to one of their new clients. The Property Agency has been advising their new client on the set up of a new “Wellness” Centre which will be located in Hammersmith. ReSource, GN2’s new client, has acquired a 13,239 sq. ft. space on the ground and mezzanine floor levels of Thames Wharf, which is located on Rainville Road in West London. The rent for this space is approximately £650,000 per annum. GN2 works to deliver office and educational space for clients to rent. The company also works to offer a rent review and restructuring service in order to secure a lease agreement that works for the client and the landlord. It is also important for the company to make sure that they ensure the maximum investment value for both occupier and investor. GN2 worked with planning consultants, Montague Evans in order to successfully secure a change of use for the building from Fulham Borough Council. Following this change of use, a diverse venue can now be created, offering an art gallery, artists’ studios, coffee shop, workshops, reception area and education space. ReSource will be using the space in order to create an avenue for great ideas and collaborations through events that are centered around workshops, exhibitions, performances, lectures and food. The new Wellness centre is expected to cater to both young and old audiences, making sure that there is something for everyone. The Managing Partner of GN2, Julie Rees has said that they have seen an increase in the number of enquiries from clients about using spaces for alternative means, such as gyms, leisure and wellbeing centres. This area of the market appears to be thriving and as more and more people look into different ways in which to tackle their stress levels and look after themselves better. The opening of ReSource’s planned Wellness area will be a valuable new addition to the popular Hammersmith area of London.
